TPO Uganda is a national Ugandan Non-Governmental Organization that has been operating in Uganda since 1994. TPO-Uganda services are delivered through a community and family-oriented intervention model, which mainly focuses on identifying existing community support structures, traditional circles of support and systematically building their capacity to identify and participate in supporting the needs of: children in need of protection, survivors of gender-based violence, children and families infected and affected by HIV & AIDS; improving livelihoods of rural households and families whose socio-economic wellbeing has been incapacitated by conflict and/or any other disasters.

Vision

“A society where vulnerable and marginalized people enjoy mental health, social and economic wellbeing, and lead harmonious, mutually supportive and productive lives”

Mission Statement

“As a rights-based NGO TPO-Uganda supports and works with local communities, civil society organizations and government to meet the social protection, psychosocial and mental health needs of vulnerable people.”

Values

TPO-Uganda’s work with communities and other stakeholders is guided by:

1. Professionalism: In outlook and approach, at a personal and organizational level.
2. Transparency: In all operational work, while promoting downward and upward accountability.
3. Innovation: Being innovative in the type of services and interventions delivered and adapting to changing needs and operational contexts.
4. Compassion: For the needs of beneficiaries and staff.
5. Gender and cultural sensitivity: Responding to the gender specific needs of beneficiaries in programming and being sensitive to local culture contexts.

Our Theory of Change

The TPO-Uganda Theory of Change is anchored in the vision, which simply, is the change that TPO-Uganda would like to see attributable to our interventions. In all interventions that we deliver, our ultimate aim is to bring about a society whose mental, social and economic well being allows all to enjoy a harmonious, mutually supportive and productive life. For example, in providing livelihoods support to HIV/AIDs orphans the intended outcome is that orphans come to terms with their difficulties; cope adequately, and are in a frame of mind that allows them to effectively utilize inputs provided.  Improving psychosocial wellbeing is a cross-cutting intended outcome in all TPO interventions. We would like to see change emerging as a result of households that are enlightened and thus empowered to make informed choices. Hence we regularly talk to communities on issues that can improve their livelihoods such as; adopting healthy hygienic practices in their households, environmental conservation, child rearing and managing the nutritional needs of children, community mobilization and self –organization, households.

Our Strategy

Community empowerment is the overriding strategy that TPO Uganda uses. We deliver this strategy through the Community Support Structures model - a community capacity development approach that entails identifying existing traditional support structures and gradually building their capacity to identify, document, monitor and respond to problems in their midst. For example in the Karamoja Region, we are supporting local community based organizations to identify, document and respond to incidents of child rights violations. This way, we bring about an increase in the number of grassroots organizations able to manage the psychosocial and child protection needs of children.

Working through existing traditional support systems that are familiar with their own environment has enabled us access hard to reach communities living in difficult conditions for instance in Somalia, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and the Karamoja Region in Uganda. It has also enabled us understand and become more sensitive to local cultures and other socio-cultural dynamics when designing our interventions. This strategy is also sustainable and cost effective as most of the knowledge and skill is acquired and retained within local structures, which in turn evolve into frontline community organizers and caregivers upon exit of the project.